1Samuel murió, y fue enterrado en Ramá, donde había vivido. Todo Israel se reunió para hacer duelo por él. Después de eso David bajó al desierto de Maón.[1]2Había en Maón un hombre muy rico, dueño de mil cabras y tres mil ovejas, las cuales esquilaba en Carmel, donde tenía su hacienda.3Se llamaba Nabal y pertenecía a la familia de Caleb. Su esposa, Abigaíl, era una mujer bella e inteligente; Nabal, por el contrario, era insolente y de mala conducta.4Estando David en el desierto, se enteró de que Nabal estaba esquilando sus ovejas.5Envió entonces diez de sus hombres con este encargo: «Id a Carmel para llevarle a Nabal un saludo de mi parte.6Decidle: “¡Que tengáis salud[2] y paz tú y tu familia, y todo lo que te pertenece!7Acabo de escuchar que estás esquilando tus ovejas. Como has de saber, cuando tus pastores estuvieron con nosotros, jamás los molestamos. En todo el tiempo que se quedaron en Carmel, nunca se les quitó nada.8Pregúntales a tus criados, y ellos mismos te lo confirmarán. Por tanto, te agradeceré que recibas bien a mis hombres, pues este día hay que celebrarlo. Dales, por favor, a tus siervos y a tu hijo David lo que tengas a mano”».9Cuando los hombres de David llegaron, le dieron a Nabal este mensaje de parte de David y se quedaron esperando.10Pero Nabal les contestó: ―¿Y quién es ese tal David? ¿Quién es el hijo de Isaí? Hoy día son muchos los esclavos que se escapan de sus amos.11¿Por qué he de compartir mi pan y mi agua, y la carne que he reservado para mis esquiladores, con gente que ni siquiera sé de dónde viene?12Los hombres de David se dieron la vuelta y se pusieron en camino. Cuando llegaron ante él, le comunicaron todo lo que Nabal había dicho.13Entonces David les ordenó: «¡Ceñíos todos la espada!» Y todos, incluso él, se la ciñeron. Acompañaron a David unos cuatrocientos hombres, mientras que otros doscientos se quedaron cuidando el bagaje.14Uno de los criados avisó a Abigaíl, la esposa de Nabal: «David envió desde el desierto unos mensajeros para saludar a nuestro amo, pero él los trató mal.15Esos hombres se portaron muy bien con nosotros. En todo el tiempo que anduvimos con ellos por el campo, jamás nos molestaron ni nos quitaron nada.16Día y noche nos protegieron mientras cuidábamos los rebaños cerca de ellos.17Piensa tú bien lo que debes hacer, pues la ruina está a punto de caer sobre nuestro amo y sobre toda su familia. Tiene tan mal genio que ni hablar se puede con él».18Sin perder tiempo, Abigaíl reunió doscientos panes, dos odres de vino, cinco ovejas asadas, treinta y cinco litros[3] de trigo tostado, cien tortas de uvas pasas y doscientas tortas de higos. Después de cargarlo todo sobre unos asnos,19les dijo a los criados: «Id delante, que yo os sigo». Pero a Nabal, su esposo, no le dijo nada de esto.20Montada en un asno, Abigaíl bajaba por la ladera del monte cuando vio que David y sus hombres venían en dirección opuesta, de manera que se encontraron.21David acababa de comentar: «De balde estuve protegiendo en el desierto las propiedades de ese tipo, para que no perdiera nada. Ahora resulta que me paga mal por el bien que le hice.22¡Que Dios me castigue[4] sin piedad si antes del amanecer no acabo con todos sus hombres!»23Cuando Abigaíl vio a David, se bajó rápidamente del asno y se inclinó ante él, postrándose rostro en tierra.24Se arrojó a sus pies y dijo: ―Señor mío, yo tengo la culpa. Deja que esta sierva tuya te hable; te ruego que me escuches.25No hagas tú caso de ese grosero de Nabal, pues le hace honor a su nombre, que significa “necio”. La necedad lo acompaña por todas partes. Yo, por mi parte, no vi a los mensajeros que tú, mi señor, enviaste.26»Pero ahora el SEÑOR te ha impedido a ti derramar sangre y tomarte la justicia por tus propias manos. ¡Tan cierto como que el SEÑOR y tú estáis vivos! Por eso, pido que a tus enemigos, y a todos los que quieran hacerte daño, les pase lo mismo que a Nabal.27Acepta tú este regalo que tu sierva te ha traído, y repártelo entre los criados que te acompañan.28Yo te ruego que perdones el atrevimiento de esta tu sierva. Ciertamente, el SEÑOR te dará a ti una dinastía que se mantendrá firme, y nunca nadie podrá hacerte a ti ningún daño,[5] pues tú peleas las batallas del SEÑOR.29Aun si alguien te persigue con la intención de matarte, tu vida estará protegida[6] por el SEÑOR tu Dios, mientras que tus enemigos serán lanzados a la destrucción.[7]30Así que, cuando el SEÑOR te haya hecho todo el bien que te ha prometido, y te haya establecido como jefe de Israel,31no tendrás tú que sufrir la pena y el remordimiento de haberte vengado por ti mismo, ni de haber derramado sangre inocente. Acuérdate tú de esta tu sierva cuando el SEÑOR te haya dado prosperidad».32David le dijo entonces a Abigaíl: ―¡Bendito sea el SEÑOR, Dios de Israel, que te ha enviado hoy a mi encuentro!33¡Y bendita seas tú por tu buen juicio, pues me has impedido derramar sangre y vengarme con mis propias manos!34El SEÑOR, Dios de Israel, me ha impedido hacerte mal; pero te digo que, si no te hubieras dado prisa en venir a mi encuentro, para mañana no le habría quedado vivo a Nabal ni uno solo de sus hombres. ¡Tan cierto como que el SEÑOR vive!35Dicho esto, David aceptó lo que ella le había traído. ―Vuelve tranquila a tu casa —añadió—. Como puedes ver, te he hecho caso: te concedo lo que me has pedido.[8]36Cuando Abigaíl llegó a la casa, Nabal estaba dando un regio banquete. Se encontraba alegre y muy borracho, así que ella no le dijo nada hasta el día siguiente.37Por la mañana, cuando a Nabal ya se le había pasado la borrachera, su esposa le contó lo sucedido. Al oírlo, Nabal sufrió un ataque al corazón y quedó paralizado.38Unos diez días después, el SEÑOR hirió a Nabal, y así murió.39Cuando David se enteró de que Nabal había muerto, exclamó: «¡Bendito sea el SEÑOR, que me ha hecho justicia por la afrenta que recibí de Nabal! El SEÑOR libró a este siervo suyo de hacer mal, pero hizo recaer sobre Nabal su propia maldad». Entonces David envió un mensaje a Abigaíl, proponiéndole matrimonio.40Cuando los criados llegaron a Carmel, hablaron con Abigaíl y le dijeron: ―David nos ha enviado para pedirte que te cases con él.41Ella se inclinó y, postrándose rostro en tierra, dijo: ―Soy la sierva de David, y estoy para servirle. Incluso estoy dispuesta a lavarles los pies a sus criados.42Sin perder tiempo, Abigaíl se dispuso a partir. Se montó en un asno y, acompañada de cinco criadas, se fue con los mensajeros de David. Después se casó con él.43David también se había casado con Ajinoán de Jezrel, así que ambas fueron sus esposas.44Saúl, por su parte, había entregado a su hija Mical, esposa de David, a Paltiel[9] hijo de Lais, oriundo de Galín.
1.Samuel 25
English Standard Version
The Death of SamuelDavid and Abigail
1Now Samuel died. And all Israel assembled and mourned for him, and they buried him in his house at Ramah. Then David rose and went down to the wilderness of Paran. (1Mo 50,10; 4Mo 10,12; 4Mo 20,29; 5Mo 34,8; 1Sam 1,19; 1Sam 28,3; 1Kön 2,34)2And there was a man in Maon whose business was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. (1Mo 38,13; Jos 15,55; 1Sam 23,24; 2Sam 13,23)3Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was discerning and beautiful, but the man was harsh and badly behaved; he was a Calebite. (1Sam 30,14)4David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. (1Sam 25,2)5So David sent ten young men. And David said to the young men, “Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal and greet him in my name.6And thus you shall greet him: ‘Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. (1Chr 12,18; Mt 10,13; Lk 10,5)7I hear that you have shearers. Now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing all the time they were in Carmel. (1Sam 25,15; 1Sam 25,21)8Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favor in your eyes, for we come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.’” (Est 8,17; Est 9,19; Est 9,22)9When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited.10And Nabal answered David’s servants, “Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants these days who are breaking away from their masters. (Ri 9,28; Ri 12,4)11Shall I take my bread and my water and my meat that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men who come from I do not know where?” (Ri 8,6; 1Sam 22,2)12So David’s young men turned away and came back and told him all this.13And David said to his men, “Every man strap on his sword!” And every man of them strapped on his sword. David also strapped on his sword. And about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage. (1Sam 22,2; 1Sam 23,13; 1Sam 27,2; 1Sam 30,24)14But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, “Behold, David sent messengers out of the wilderness to greet our master, and he railed at them.15Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we did not miss anything when we were in the fields, as long as we went with them. (1Sam 25,7; 1Sam 25,21)16They were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. (Hi 1,10)17Now therefore know this and consider what you should do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his house, and he is such a worthless man that one cannot speak to him.” (5Mo 13,13; 1Sam 20,7)18Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves and two skins of wine and five sheep already prepared and five seahs[1] of parched grain and a hundred clusters of raisins and two hundred cakes of figs, and laid them on donkeys.19And she said to her young men, “Go on before me; behold, I come after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.20And as she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, behold, David and his men came down toward her, and she met them.21Now David had said, “Surely in vain have I guarded all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him, and he has returned me evil for good. (1Sam 25,7; 1Sam 25,15; Ps 109,5; Spr 17,13)22God do so to the enemies of David[2] and more also, if by morning I leave so much as one male of all who belong to him.” (Rut 1,17)23When Abigail saw David, she hurried and got down from the donkey and fell before David on her face and bowed to the ground. (1Mo 24,64; Jos 15,18; Ri 1,14; Rut 2,10; 1Sam 25,41)24She fell at his feet and said, “On me alone, my lord, be the guilt. Please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. (2Sam 14,9)25Let not my lord regard this worthless fellow, Nabal, for as his name is, so is he. Nabal[3] is his name, and folly is with him. But I your servant did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent. (1Sam 25,17)26Now then, my lord, as the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, because the Lord has restrained you from bloodguilt and from saving with your own hand, now then let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be as Nabal. (1Mo 20,6; 1Sam 20,3; 2Sam 18,32; Röm 12,19; Hebr 10,30)27And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. (1Mo 33,11; 1Sam 30,26; 2Kön 5,15)28Please forgive the trespass of your servant. For the Lord will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the Lord, and evil shall not be found in you so long as you live. (1Sam 2,35; 1Sam 18,17; 2Sam 7,11; 2Sam 7,27; 1Kön 9,5; 1Kön 11,38; 1Chr 17,10; 1Chr 17,25)29If men rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living in the care of the Lord your God. And the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. (Jer 10,18)30And when the Lord has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you and has appointed you prince[4] over Israel,31my lord shall have no cause of grief or pangs of conscience for having shed blood without cause or for my lord working salvation himself. And when the Lord has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.” (1Sam 25,26)32And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! (1Mo 24,27; Ps 41,13; Ps 72,18; Lk 1,68)33Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! (1Sam 25,26)34For as surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there had not been left to Nabal so much as one male.” (Rut 3,13; 1Sam 25,26)35Then David received from her hand what she had brought him. And he said to her, “Go up in peace to your house. See, I have obeyed your voice, and I have granted your petition.” (1Sam 1,17)36And Abigail came to Nabal, and behold, he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. And Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk. So she told him nothing at all until the morning light. (1Sam 22,15; 2Sam 13,23; 2Sam 13,28; 1Kön 21,7)37In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him, and he became as a stone.38And about ten days later the Lord struck Nabal, and he died. (1Sam 26,10)39When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Blessed be the Lord who has avenged the insult I received at the hand of Nabal, and has kept back his servant from wrongdoing. The Lord has returned the evil of Nabal on his own head.” Then David sent and spoke to Abigail, to take her as his wife. (1Sam 24,15; 1Sam 25,26; 1Sam 25,32; 1Sam 25,33; 1Kön 2,44; Ps 7,16; Hl 8,8; Hes 17,19)40When the servants of David came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, “David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.”41And she rose and bowed with her face to the ground and said, “Behold, your handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.” (Rut 2,10)42And Abigail hurried and rose and mounted a donkey, and her five young women attended her. She followed the messengers of David and became his wife.43David also took Ahinoam of Jezreel, and both of them became his wives. (Jos 15,56; 1Sam 27,3; 1Sam 30,5; 2Sam 2,2; 2Sam 3,2; 1Chr 3,1)44Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Palti the son of Laish, who was of Gallim.